Fair Winds And Following Seas
To The Squadron Members We Have Lost
☛ A Video Tribute To Our Fallen Squadron Members  The Path Of The Warrior 


Arlington National Cemetery - Washington D.C. - October 2008

Gone, But Never Forgotten...

A Table With A Lone Chair Set In Remembrance Of Our Fallen Squadron Members

The Table, Set For One Symbolizes The Frailty Of One Person, One Service Man, Alone, Against His Or Her Oppressors
The Table Is Round, Showing That Our Concern For Them Is Never Ending. The Chair Is Empty For They Are Not Here

The Glass Is Inverted For They Will Not Drink With Us Tonight. Upon The Plate Is A Slice Of Lemon And A sprinkling Of Salt.
The Lemon Reminds Us Of The Bitterness They Feel, The Salt Symbolizes The Tears Of Families As They Wait

The Yellow Candle Symbolizes The Everlasting Hope For A Joyous Reunion With Those Yet Unaccounted For

Red And Yellow Ribbons Tied On A Vase Are A Request That We Demand A Proper Accounting Of Our Missing. The Vase
Holds A Red Rose In Honor Of Those Who Made The Ultimate Sacrifice When They Gave Their Lives For Their Country.
The White Rose Is For Those Who Returned Alive. The Yellow Rose Is For Those Who Are Still Missing In Action.

The Black Napkin Stands For The Emptiness These Warriors Have Left In The Hearts Of Their Family And Friends

The Bible Represents Faith In A Higher Power And The Pledge To This Country Which Was Founded As One Nation Under God

The Tablecloth Is White To Symbolize The Purity Of Their Intentions To Respond To Their Countries Call To Arms

All Of You Who Served With Them And Called Them Shipmates, Please Remember That They Represent The Highest Level Of
Commitment To Defending The Principles Of Freedom That Have Made Our Nation Great. Surely They Have Not Forsaken You

Throughout This Ceremony Let The Candle's Flame Represent Their Presence In Our Hearts And Let It's
Light Shine As A Beacon Of Our Resolve To Never Let These Members Of Our Squadron Be Forgotten

      *-Presented By Melvin Biggs At The Fort Worth Reunion


Lost In-Country

LT "PETE"R FRANSSON RUSSELL
Of WHARTON, NJ Was Born On: Tuesday, March 12, 1940
He Died Over Kien Giang Province, South Vietnam On: Friday, May 23, 1969
A Single Shot Struck Him And His OV-10A During A Strafing Run
The Location Of His Name On The Wall: Panel 24W - Row 090

LT "AUBREY" GRADY MARTIN
Of BEEVILLE, TX Was Born On: Tuesday, September 29, 1942
He Died When His OV-10A Was Shot Down In South Vietnam On: Saturday, July 19, 1969
The Location Of His Name On The Wall: Panel 20W - Row 020

LTJG "ROY" DEAN SIKKINK
Of TULSA, OK Was Born On: Friday, May 26, 1944
He Died When His OV-10A Was Shot Down In South Vietnam On: Saturday, July 19, 1969
The Location Of His Name On The Wall: Panel 20W - Row 023

LTJG "JOEL" ALEXIS SANDBERG
Of MERIDEN, CT Was Born On: Wednesday, August 8, 1945
He Died In A Crash In Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam On: Saturday, December 20, 1969
The Location Of His Name On The Wall: Panel 15W - Row 074

CAPT CARL EDWIN LONG (USMC)
Of COLLEGE STATION, TX Was Born On: Tuesday, February 8, 1944
He Died In A Crash In Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam On: Saturday, December 20, 1969
The Location Of His Name On The Wall: Panel 15W - Row 073
Carl's Remains Were Recovered And Returned To The United States
They Were Buried In Site 50 Of Section 68 In Arlington National
Cemetery In Washington D.C. On September 16, 2004

LCDR "JERE" ALAN BARTON
Of SAN DIEGO, CA Was Born On: Thursday, August 10, 1939
He Died When His OV-10A Was Shot Down In Kien Tuong Province, South Vietnam On: Sunday, June 7, 1970
The Location Of His Name On The Wall: Panel 09W - Row 023
He Is Buried In Site 494-2 In Section 46 Of Arlington National Cemetery In Washington D.C

LT ROBERT "BOB" EDWARD LUTZ JR
Of TROY, OH Was Born On: Saturday, August 20, 1938
He Died In A Crash Offshore Of South Vietnam On: Wednesday, February 9, 1972
The Location Of His Name On The Wall: Panel 02W - Row 105


And Though They Did Not Die In War; Friends They Will Be Evermore
The Glory And Honor They Earned For Serving Will Never Fade
For They Have Built A Home In The Minds Of Their Shipmates Forever


Lost While Serving Their Country

LT WILLIAM J. "FLASH" LEEBURN
Died In A Crash Of An OV10A While Training Replacement
Pilots At N.A.S. North Island On August 7, 1970
The Story

ADJC SHERRY NORMAN "JOHNNIE" JOHNSON
Born On September 8, 1943. Died From Self Inflicted Gun Shot Wound On August 23, 1971

LT J.W. BREWSTER
Lost At Sea When His C1A "Trader" Crashed Enroute From Naples To Sigonella On January 17, 1972. Born
On March 12, 1945 And Is Buried At The Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery in Kansas - Section P Site 2688

AO3 MICHAEL E. RYAN
From Fort Meyers Florida. Died While Attached To VP-44 When The P-3 He
Was Assigned To Crashed In Morocco On June 3, 1972 While On Routine Patrol
The Story

LT STEPHEN SALZMAN
Instructor Pilot Lt. Salzman And His Student Were Killed When Their TA-4F Crashed
Between Goliad And Beeville Texas On October 19, 1973.

CWO SAM FLEMING
Died In A C-141 Crash In Washington On March 21, 1975
The Story

AE1 FRANCIS 'LAYNE' "BUDDY" LABHART
Born May 6, 1941. Murdered On March 23, 1975 Near NAS Barber's Point Hawaii
While Serving As A P3 Flight Engineer Assigned To VP-1.
He Is Buried In Site 2428 Of Section 37 In Arlington National Cemetery Near Washington D.C.


Lost Ponies

LCDR RON BALLARD
Complications From Pulmonary Fibrosis - October 7, 2005

PR JOHN BARRETT
Lost His Battle With Cancer In Mesquite, Nevada

LCDR BILL BARTLETT
Cancer - 1999

AME1 'BOBBY' BATSON - PLANKOWNER
Mentor & Friend - Go With The Grace... Fair Winds & Following Seas Bobby
Died Of Kidney Failure On April 13, 2014. Bobby Is To Be Buried At The
National Cemetery On Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida

LCDR JAMES BECKER
Born December 1934 Lost His Battle With Lung Cancer On July 9, 2009 In San Diego, California

LTJG RON BEELEY
Died November 29, 2020 From A Heart Arrhythmia Complicated By A Recent Positive COVID Test; Officially Still Unknown In Alta Loma, California.

ADJ KEVIN BIALY
Passed Away January 19, 2015 From Pancreatic Cancer In Kingsley, Pennsylvania

ABH BOB BLAIR
Passed Away October 24, 2012 In Brookings Harbor, Oregon

LT JIM BOHANNA
Died From Inoperable Cancer - February 20, 2007 In Pleasanton, California

AOC CECIL BOSTICK
Died At The Age Of 82 In Saint Petersburg Florida On October 2, 2016

AO JOHN BOUMILA
Died In San Diego California On June 5, 2017 From Complications Of A Fall In His Home

AO2 HASKELL BRADEN
Died In 2011 in Florida

PR JOHN BREEN
Died In Saint Joe Beach Florida On August 18, 2015
Fair Winds & Following Seas John

AME CARL BROOKS
Mentor & Friend... Fair Winds & Following Seas Carl
Died Of Complications From Agent Orange Caused Afflictions On July 11, 2015 In A Nursing Home In Missouri

ADJ E. BLAIR BROWN
Mentor & Friend... Fair Winds & Following Seas Blair
Died Of Unknown Cause After Battling A Year Long Illness On May 31, 2021 In Manassas, Virginia

AO2 DAVE CAMPFIELD
Born July 1947 - Lost His Battle With Pancreatic Cancer On January 13, 2009 In Ouzinkie, Alaska (Kodiak Island)

ADJ GORDON CAUDILL
Cancer - 1989

ADJ GARY W. CHARF
Died From Lung Cancer In His Hometown Of Mayfield Heights, Ohio On December 30, 2003

AO CARL COLLIER
Died In Tipton, California On October 10, 2014

ADR KENNETH W. COTTEN
Died From Heart Attack On March 28, 2005 In North Hollywood, California

AMSC KENNETH R. CRABTREE
Died From Complications After An Automobile Accident On April 5, 2006 In Middleburg, Florida
He Is Buried At Ridgedale Cemetery In Saltville, Virginia

ADJC JOE W. CROSSON
Died From Complications After Open Heart Surgery
On September 5, 2001

LTCDR DEAN DAVIS
Lost His Fight With Cancer In Rosemark, Tennessee On April 22, 2019

AE DOUG DONNELLY
May 4, 1941 ~ June 5, 2015 - Died At His Home In Springfield, Massachusetts

AE CARL DUTY
Died From Complications From Lung Cancer On May 16, 2011

AO MICHAEL DUVA
Died In Jacksonville, North Carolina On May 3, 2003 In Las Vegas, Nevada

LTJG DAVE EDWARDS
Passed Away Of Unknown Reason On July 27, 2018 In Tucson, Arizona

AME1 (CWO4) JIM ELIAS
Mentor, Boss & Friend - Go With The Grace... Fair Winds & Following Seas Jim
Died After A Long Fight With Cancer On February 23, 2009 In Middleburg, Florida

AN JAMES EVARISTO
Lost On June 12, 1993 From Lymphoma Cancer At Age 45

ADJ ORDLE H. FITZGERALD
Died At Age 71 From Lung Cancer On January 13, 2010 In Jacksonville, Florida

AE BEN FRANKLIN
Died From Lung Cancer May 10, 2007 In Corpus Christi, Texas.
He Is Buried In Duncan Cemetery In Corpus Christi, Texas

LTJG BARRY FRY
Passed Away Of Unknown Reason On January 18, 2020 In Deltona, Florida

AT BILL GARRETT
Passed Away On August 24, 2003 In Lake Park, Georgia

PR/BMH KENNETH GETCHEY
Lost His Fight With Agent Orange Related Cancer On June 1, 2015 In West Lafayette, Ohio

AO KEN GRATTAROTI
Passed Away On January 18, 1991 In Ridgecrest, California

PR ROBERT GUSTAFSON
Teacher & Friend - Go With The Grace... Fair Winds & Following Seas Bob
Died Of Heart Failure On September 26, 2017 At The VA Medical Center In White River Junction, Vermont

YN HAROLD HANFORD
More Info Supposedly Coming

AT RAY HARTFIELD
Passed Away Of Unknown Reason On November 29, 2019

LCDR FRED "FRITZ" HERING
Passed Away From Complications Of Being 81 - June 24, 2016

AT JAMES HORVATH
Lost His Fight With Pancreatic Cancer On November 11, 2009
He Is Buried In Section 4 Row 82 Site 9 Of The Albert Horton
Memorial Veteran's Cemetery In Suffolk, Virginia

ATR LAWRENCE HUNT
More Info Supposedly Coming

LTJG JEFF JOHNSON
Passed Away August 20, 2019 In Kennesaw, Georgia
From Complications Of Pneumonia And Other Agent Orange Related Conditions.

ADJ LAWRENCE JOHNSON Jr.
Died Peacefully In His Sleep On March 11, 2012 At His Home In Lancaster, California

AO PAUL JONES
Died In Visalia, California On July 10, 2018 From Agent Orange Related Brain Cancer

AK BRYAN KAPLAN
Died From Complications Of Colon Surgery On June 16, 2014
He Is Buried In Putnam Valley NY Near His Home In Mohegan Lake.

LTJG CHUCK KARLAN
Diagnosed With Pulmonary Fibrosis; Passed Away On October 10, 2014
From Complications Of The Lung Transplant He Received In 2008.

LTJG JOSEPH KELLER
Died Of Cancer On September 25, 2001 In Springfield, Virginia
He Is Buried At Arlington National Cemetery In Section 66 Site 6558.

ADJ ROBERT KINDSVATER
Lost His Battle With Agent Orange Related Cancer On September 15, 2016 In Poulsbo, Washington

ADJ ROY LANGLITZ
Passed Away June 1984

AOC CHESTER LANGLOIS
Lost His Long Battle With Chronic Lymphocytic Lukemia On October 25, 2017 In Daytona Beach Shores, Florida

LCDR TOM LANGSTON
Heart Attack Jan 8, 2008

LT LARRY LAUGHON
Lost His Battle With Cancer Four Days Before His 79th Birthday On April 8, 2017 At His Home In Midlothian, Virginia

AO BILL LAUR
Died of Kidney Failure on August 27, 2020 in Middleburg, Florida. Services to be announced at a later date.

ADJ VINCE LECRANN
Brain Hemmorage - March 1998

LT GEORGE LEEVER
Died In Drasco, Arkansas On December 22, 2022. No Cause Known.
He Will Be Interred At The United States Naval Academy Columbarium.

ADJ JAMES LEPINSKI
Died Of a Ruptured Aorta On November 28, 2012 In Mexico, Missouri

ADJ DAVID LEWIS
Died At Home In Clinton, Montana On December 1, 2022.
Dave Battled A Number Of Agent Orange Relateed Health Issues, But No Specific Cause Has Been Indicated

AT ROBERT LIPPERT
Passed Away On August 3, 2007.
He Is Buried At The Fort Gibson National Cemetery In Oklahoma In Section C-19 Site 416

LTJG BENEDETTO LOBALBO
Passed Away From Unknown Cause On January 13, 2018 In Woodbridge, Virginia.
He Was Interred At Arlington National Cemetery On April 23, 2019 - Court 9, Section N 10, Column 8, Niche 1

LT FRED 'FRITZ' LYNCH
Passed Away After A Month Long Illness In Long Neck, Delaware On May 23, 2015

USMC OBSERVER NYLE MANN
Passed Away On November 10, 2009 From Cancer

WO1 DONALD "GUNNY" MASSON
Passed Away On March 15, 2010 From A Cardiac Arrest - Olongopo City, Phillippines

LTJG LANCE MAYHEW
Passed Away On December 12, 2016 In Lacey, Washington From An Agent Orange Related Blood Disorder

ADCS THOMAS MEIKLE
Born April 21, 1927; Passed Away On August 17, 2008 In Wakefield Rhode Island.
Tom Retired From The Navy After Serving In WWII, Korea And Vietnam During His 31 Year Enlistment.

AT WILLIAM MITCHELL
Passed Away Suddenly On October 17, 2008 In San Diego, California

LT CHARLIE MOORE
Lost His Fight With Brain Cancer At His Home In Prospect, Kentucky On February 5, 2009

AE THOMAS MOORMAN
Passed Away On June 7, 1996 In San Diego, California

LCDR RICHARD MURKLAND
Passed Away From Unknown Causes On August 9, 2014 In Gulf Breeze Florida
Buried: Section C-5 Row C Site 18 In Barrancas National Cemetery At NAS Pensacola Florida

AT RICHARD OUBRE
Died From Undisclosed Cause On February 10, 2021

LT MIKE PARKES
Passed away in August of 2022 in Colbert, Washington. No other information known.

LCDR BOB PASTRE
Heart Attack - August 29 2007

PLANKOWNER ADJC JOHN D. PLANK
Passed Away In December 2010 In Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

AT THOMAS POLAND
Lost His Fight With Lung Cancer In Pleasant City, Ohio On January 25, 2012

LT RICHARD PRATT
Was Born On April 24, 1939 And Passed Away On September 9, 2006.
He Is Buried In Section 55 Site 113 At The Fort Logan National Cemetery In Denver, Colorado.

YN RONALD "YANKEE" PRESCOTT
Accident in Florida - July 1975

CDR LEONARD "SKIPPER" RAUSCH
Retired Captain Leonard Rausch (1929 - 2009) Lost His Battle With Cancer And Pulmonary Fibrosis On July 8, 2009
He Is Survived By His Wife Martinette, Son David, Daughter Lyn, Five Grandchildren And One Great Grandchild.
On November 23, 2009 He Was Buried In Site 14 Of Section 40 In Arlington National Cemetery

AMHC FRED REVELL - PLANKOWNER
Lost His Battle With Alzheimer's On November 9, 2014 In Big Pool, Maryland

AN RANDY ROSE
Passed Away From Complications Of Agent Orange Exposure
On February 25, 2010 In Memphis, Tennessee

LTJG VERNON ROSENBERGER
Passed Away Suddenly In Cockeysville, Maryland On June 2, 2012

ADJ ALAN SAMPSON
Died In The Second Worst Construction Accident In The United States On April 27, 1978 At The Pleasants
Power Station, Willow Island, West Virginia. Alan Would Have Been 30 Years Old The Next Day.

AMS JOHN SANCHEZ
Lost His Battle With Cancer On July 3, 2016 In Petaluma, California

ADJ RICHARD SCHAEFER
Lost His Battle With Cancer - October 17, 2013

LCDR AL SCHAUER
Was Born On October 9, 1937, Passed Away In Pensacola, Florida On March 29, 2003.
He Is Buried At Hillcrest Cemetery In Endeavor, Wisconsin

CDR JAY SCHOENFELD
Was Born On October 1, 1936 And Died Of Cancer On March 25, 1998
He Is Buried In Section CBD Row 1 Site 772 At The Fort Rosecranns National Cemetery In San Diego, California

LT ROBERT SCHOLL
Was Born On July 19, 1946 And Lost His Battle With Lung Cancer
On March 14, 2014 - Manhattan Beach, California

PLANKOWNER CDR. MARTIN "SKIPPER" SCHUMAN
VAL-4's second "Skipper" Captain Martin S. Schuman (Retired)Passed Away Unexpectedly On August 27, 2017
In Virginia Beach, Virginia. Captain Schuman's And His Wife Mary Ann's Ashes Will Be Buried At Sea

AO RICHARD SEEGER
Died From Complications From Surgery - September 30, 2011

LT ROY "BUBBA" SEGARS
Lost Life's Battle On March 28, 2023 In Galveston, Texas
More Information To Follow Hopefully

AO WILLIAM SHAW
Died From Adrenal Gland Cancer - December 27, 2017 - Tucson, AZ

AO MICHAEL SLAVIN
Born August 1946 - Lost His Battle With Agent Orange Induced Lung Cancer On March 2, 2017 In Topeka, Kansas

LT JOHN SMALLING
Passed Away Peacefully In His Sleep At His Home In Fort Worth, Texas On December 1, 2018

LTJG HAROLD "HAL" SMITH
Died In A Plane Crash In Colorado - Summer 2003

AE1 DAVE 'SLJPO' STOCKLEY - PLANKOWNER
Mentor & Friend - Go With The Grace... Fair Winds & Following Seas Dave
Died Of Complications From Bladder And Prostrate Cancer On February 21, 2022 At His Home In Bourne, Massachusetts.

AT CARL STONE
Accidental Death - Cincinnati, Ohio - 1993

ADJ BURDETT "BUD" STORCH
Heart Attack - Late 70's

ADJ ROGER STRONG
Passed Away While At A VA Hospital In Tennessee
October 17, 2003

AT STEVE SWEENY
Passed Away On October 23, 2006 From Complications
Of Diabetes In Crockett, Texas

ATN JERALD TAYLOR
Passed Away From A Brain Aneurysm During A Kidney Transplant
January 31, 1990 In Miami Florida

LCDR JOHN THOMAS
Passed Away In Forks, Washington In March 2007

CDR BRUCE LEE TURNER
Was Born On April 7, 1943 And Died Of Complications From A Battle With Kidney Cancer On August 22, 2004.
He Is Buried In Section P Row D Site 151 At The Tahoma National Cemetery In Kent, Washington

LTJG QUENTIN "BUTCH" UNDERKOFFLER
Avionics / Weapons Division Officer
Heart Attack - Feb 2001

AMH JEAN VARGO
Died From Pancreatic Cancer Caused By Agent Orange
May 21, 1976

AO WAYNE WALIN
Died From Inoperable Cancer
February 13, 2007 - Myrtle Creek, Oregon

LT TRUMAN DALE WARE
Died In The Crash Of A Christian Eagle - Oct. 1, 1987

ADJ JAMES WERBLOW
Lost His Fight With Cancer On January 23, 2010 In Michigan

ADJ LARRY WESTROPE
Passed Away In 2004 - Details Unknown

ADJ DAN WEYANT
Passed Away On April 2, 2011 - Details Unknown

LCDR BOB WHITE
Cancer - 1986

AE CHARLES D. WIGGONTON
Was Residing In Alabama When He Passed Away From Complications
Of Heart And Kidney Problems On March 31, 2005

AE WILLIAM "CHUCK" WHITE
Died From Pneumonia On July 3, 2020 In Hydro, Oklahoma.
Chuck Won A Ten Year Battle With The VA Over Agent Orange Conditions One Month Before He Passed

LCDR KEN WILLIAMS
Passed Away On September 16, 2014 In Pensacola, Florida After
A Lengthy Respiraory Illness

PLANKOWNER CDR. GIL "SKIPPER" WINANS
Our "Founding Father" Passed Away On June 13, 2011 From Complications After His Gall Bladder
Was Removed. Retired Captain Winans Ashes Are Going To Be Spread At Sea. Six Black Ponies Were In Attendance
At His Memorial Service At Everett Naval Station In Marysville, Washington. Skipper Winans Was Eulogized
By Skipper Marty Schuman, Whose Words Were Read By Plankowner John Butterfield.

PR1 ERNEST A. WITHERS
Passed Away January 9, 2009 in Reidsville, NC

AME HERMAN WOODARD
Passed Away In The Phillipines - Details Unknown

LTJG RANDY WYATT
Passed Away On October 16, 2022 At His Home In Bella Vista, Arkansas From Unknown Causes.

CDR L. A. "ZZ" ZAGORTZ
Cancer - 1989


Before We Take Leave And Until We Meet Again...
Whether Taken From Us By Combat, Accident, Or Illness; Let All Know How Proud We Are To Have Had Each Of Them
Serve With Us. We Do Not Know How The Navy Finds Such Good And Able Men, We Only Know That They Came Forward
To Serve Their Country When Needed. Honor Them With Your Thoughts And Never Forget The Sacrifices They Have Made.

May The Lord Bless Them And Keep Them
May The Lord Make His Face Smile On Them
And Be Gracious To Them
May The Lord Show Them His Favor And Give Them His Peace
Fair Winds & Following Seas